A new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is due to form today (12 November) to shape government thinking on trade, support for SMEs and resilient supply chains.
The newly-formed International Trade and Investment APPG will hold its first meeting today, featuring a variety of MPs and Lords from multiple political parties, including former Conservative ministers and leaders from the devolved nations.
Important moment
The Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade and NorthPoint Strategy will act as co-secretariats for the group.
Marco Forgione, director general of the Chartered Institute, said “the APPG could not be more relevant or more important at this point in time.”
“The new government has just come in, we’ve got the Industrial Strategy and Trade Strategy coming up within the next six months, we’ve got the ongoing issue of disruption to supply chains, and the Trump administration is coming in in the US, our single largest trading partner. So trade is going to be key.”
Advise and support
The aim of the new group is to provide advice and guidance to MPs on trade and investment matters, coming as the recently elected Labour government develops its import and export policies.
The APPG will initially focus on resilient borders and supply chains, small business support and international trade relationships.
Industrial Strategy
The government’s Industrial Strategy green paper was published in October, with a consultation launched to develop the final version.
The international trade strategy is yet to be announced. The government claims it will be aligned with its industrial counterpart and will retain a commitment to “free and open trade.”
Members
The APPG includes members from both the House of Commons and House of Lords, and has representation from across the political spectrum.
Chaired by Labour MP Mike Reader, the recently elected MP for Northampton South, the APPG also includes Labour’s former shadow export minister Afzal Khan, Conservative mayor of Tees Valley, Lord Ben Houchen, Liberal Democrat MP Christine Jardine and DUP’s Nigel Dodds.
Other notable members include ex-investment minister Dominic Johnson and former Northern Irish first minister Arlene Foster.
Reader said he was “honoured to be asked to chair such an important APPG.”
What APPGs do
Parliament has a number of APPGs on a variety of different topics.
While they don’t have an official status within parliament, they can provide valuable forums for members from different parties to discuss matters of shared interest.
